Such fun this was. So much information was being recorded. Studying all of the ongoings of the battle in vivid detail. It was simply mesmerizing. As Kuroto sped towards the hollow, he manages to see something out of the corner of his eye. A blur, if only faint, of the Death God going through a bit of a transformation. It wasn’t major by any means but enough to make Kuroto briefly question if the Shinigami was finally getting serious. As expected, his empowered kick missed its target, creating a large crater upon impact. The thick cloud of dust made it impossible for either party to see, leading Kuroto to briefly lose track of his intended prey. However, beings such as the hollow had a propensity for sneak attacks which Kuroto prepared for. The wings upon his back quickly expanded outward, forming a makeshift shield for the attack which did indeed strike him in the back. The force of the attack was enough to knock him a good distance away, his body crashing into a car a short distance away. Although his suit managed to mitigate a good portion of the damage, it was still enough to cause a noticeable sting. That’d be a bruise in the morning for sure. Kuroto rises out of the dent in an almost zombie-like fashion and turns to face the battle going on in front of him. The Death God’s energy signature had changed, something primal about that change he briefly managed to see him undergo. It was time to play to his real strengths, bide his time and strike when the moment was perfect. With a chuckle, Kuroto summons one more card as he slips deeper into the dust. “Kamen Ride:” the driver announced, the final portion being drowned out by the fierce battle. Kuroto’s form changes once again as he clutches his weapon in hand, lying in wait.
WC: 316

The sound, however faint, of flesh being ripped sent waves of jubilant glee right down to Kuroto’s core. Such a rush of excitement he hadn’t felt in quite some time. He didn’t always get this much pleasure from battle or anything pertaining to it really. Perhaps it was due to the hollow and Shinigami essences mixed within him that made him deranged and unhinged? Or maybe it was just his own dark desires finally coming to fruition? Regardless of it, to Kuroto, this was the pinnacle of enjoyment. Seeing how he had struck the hollow and connected with some sort of wound, it gave him a much better impression of the hollow’s skin durability. Like many things in this world, with enough force, it could be cut. Smiling gleefully, Kuroto prepares to strike again, before noticing the hollow’s counter attack. “Shit” he mutters as he realizes that he wouldn’t have enough time to fully dodge it. Block or be hit, that were his only options. As he prepares himself to take the oncoming blow, he hears the Death God recite something. Suddenly, the ground beneath him opens, swallowing the mad businessman. The hole, however, unexpectedly saved him from the hollow’s counterattack. Unfortunately, from the sharp unexpected descent downward, Kuroto had dropped his sword. It was a quick plummet to the bottom, the businessman suddenly annoyed by the Death God’s presence. “Why won’t they just let me have my fun?” He sighs in exasperation. His interferences were unwarranted. He had wanted to deal with both separately in hopes to learn more information but alas it seems like that won’t be the case. Sighing once again, Kuroto looks up at the top of the pit he now finds himself in.
“Fortunate for me that I choose Ground Form. Anything else and I might have been down here for a little while.” He moves his hand up as much as he can and places his two index fingers against the wall of the pit. The golden armor begins to shine as he quickly performs a one-inch punch, smashing a large hole in front of him. Now with a bit more mobility to move around, he slams his hands against the wall leaving a small imprint. He repeats the process one by one, each time moving higher and higher, climbing on the makeshift handholes as he does so. It doesn’t take long before he reaches the top of the pit, stopping just shy of exiting. “Irritating..” he says aloud, just loud enough for the Shinigami to hear him as well. Flicking his wrists, he produces yet another card, quickly inserting it into the driver. As he presses the activation button, he leaps out of the hole, a bright orange light enveloping him. “Kamen Ride: Build! "Taka! Gatling! Best Match! Are you Ready? Tenkuu no Abarenbou! HawkGatling! Yeahhh!" The light soon dissipates, revealing Kuroto in an orange winged form. With a small gun in hand, he aims it down towards the Death God’s feet as a warning shot, firing off a quick volley in succession. “I appreciate the help but stay out of my business.” With that settled, he quickly swoops down towards the hollow, waiting until after it’s dealt with the Death God’s first attack to strike. Pressing the button on his Genm Driver twice, crackling orange energy forms around his right leg. “Advanced Attack Ride: Tenkuu no Abarenbou! Vortech Crash! Yeahhh!” The driver announces as Kuroto dive bombs towards the hollow with a full strength kick aimed at the base of its chest.
WC: 590

Truly this was going to be as fun as Kuroto anticipated. The first usage of the Genm System Driver that wasn’t in a practice setting was going smoothly. All systems operated as they should, parameters were in the green. Such fun and destruction were at his fingertips. The hollow and the Death God seemed to be at odds with one another on a much more personal level than originally observed. Apparently, his future new test subject that the hollow killed previously had been a comrade of the new arrival. Yet another of these supernatural entities exhibiting such human-like qualities. It made him wonder just what made the Death Gods tick; what was it about them that made them react this way. Was their physiological make-up that system to humans? Or were they, just the hollow in front of him, just parading around as something they weren’t? Regardless, Kuroto sought to exploit this to the fullest. The hollow, apparently not one for games, decided to react as all beasts trapped in a corner would. Lash out in aggression. The creature began to pull out a foreign substance from its mouth and form it into something akin to a bow, two arrows forming soon after via the same way. It didn’t surprise Kuroto. The being, purely an arachnoid, would have some sort of webbing abilities though this was a nice treat. The Death God, on the other hand, provided a much more enjoyable show. He recited a command followed by a name. Soon after, an immense wave of heat rolled in, his body seems to be the epicenter of it all. That feeling from before, the feeling of wading through water came back.
“So, his spiritual pressure has increased. This much be one of those “releases” I’ve heard about. Oh, what a day this is turning out to be.” Kuroto thought to himself. While fascinated by these new developments, Kuroto knew he had to be on guard for the both of them. While the Death God hadn’t made any threats to harm or kill him in any way, he still needed to be careful. He was dealing with forces that humans typically shouldn’t be involved in. That thought process was still in the back of his mind. Expect the unexpected. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees it albeit barely. The molded arrow shot from the creature barreling towards him. Instinct quickly took over. He barely manages to bring both sickles down towards his right thigh, deflecting the molded attack. Kuroto sighs, returning his full attention to the creature. Shaking his head disapprovingly, he presses a small button atop his driver. A red energy field begins to radiate from around him, slowly enveloping the entire block. “Couldn’t even let me watch our guest’s display of power in peace, could you? How very human-like.” He taunts the creature as he begins to run towards it. It seems that the creature was apprehensive about frontal attacks, something that Kuroto wanted to explore in greater detail. Energy begins to form around his hands again as he drops his two sickles, those breaking up into reishi particles soon after. Another card appears in his hands as he quickly inserts it into the slot on his driver, a psychotic laugh echoing. “Kamen Ride: Agito! Flame! Storm! Ground! Burning-Shining! Taiyou no Agito!” A bright light envelops Kuroto as he changes forms once again, this time turning into a golden armored form. Flicking his wrist, a sword soon materializes in his right hand which he manages to bring down towards the hollow across its face. The attack, while strong, wasn’t meant to truly harm the hollow. In actuality, Kuroto wanted to test his durability. He had to play with his experiments a bit before going in for the real kill.
WC: 635
STATS:

The plan was going off without a hitch, he was beginning to learn more and more about this particular hollow. Much like the pathetic humans it devoured, it was easily provoked. Give it a taste of something it wants and it comes running like a moth to a flame. The creature raised a hand and fired out one of those death beams of light that ravaged the city not long ago. A cero , it was called. Kuroto opened his arms wide, ready to see just how powerful he’d become. Unfortunately, he’d have to wait on that. A shadow appeared before him, the attack fading away and the ground damaged by the force. To his surprise what stood in front of him was yet another God of Death, defending him once again. He heard the being speak, telling the creature that he would not let it harm Kuroto. Cute. Kuroto sighed deeply as he began to move, feeling that his body was slightly sluggish. It was as if his body was moving through a body of water. Not enough to truly hinder him but enough to be an annoyance. “Perhaps this is that spiritual pressure I’ve heard about,” Kuroto thinks to himself. Sighing again, aloud this time, Kuroto moves away towards them both. “Truly what a glorious day this is. An intelligent hollow, Shinigami abound, even this new sensation. I believe the term is spiritual pressure correct? I thank you for the assist Death God but you needn’t worry. We are all here to have a little fun!” Kuroto reaches into his hoodie pocket and pulls out a small device which he places at his waist. A small clicking noise is heard as the device wraps around and secures itself. Crackles of black energy begin to swirl around Kuroto as he holds two fingers upward. The energy begins to focus on his fingers, eventually producing a card in between his fingers. “Would you gentleman like to play a game?” In one fluid motion, he flicks the card and places it into a slot at the top of the device. The device makes a loud chime once the card has been inserted, more energy begins swirling around Kuroto at an alarming rate. “Henshin” he replies as he presses a device at the top. Reiatsu envelops him as his borderline psychotic laughter echoes. “Danger! Danger! (Genocide) Death the Crisis! Dangerous Zombie” the device replies as the reiatsu soon dissipates, revealing Kuroto in an armored white and black form. He slowly moves forward, his movements erratic and uncoordinated much like a zombie. “You may refer to me as Genm” he chuckles as he slowly holds his hand in front of him. A holographic display appears in front of him as he lightly touches on one of the images on it. “Gashacon Sparrow!” the device replies as two small sickles form in his hands. “Now then, would you like to try that again?”
WC: 488
Released Stats: (Opting to have my release(s) reduce opponents reiatsu & stats instead of increasing my own) *If we even still have this option*

A devious smile flashed underneath his hood as Kuroto could not help but be amused by this sentient hollow. It was brazened, arrogant and confident. Such human characteristics for something that quite literally eats humans as snacks. All this time, he assumed them to just be akin to spiritual animals. Savage beasts that acted purely on instinct to quell the hunger that drove them. To see them retain the intelligence to talk was astounding. He wondered what other special feats this hollow could do? Perhaps he could give him information on the other side; the hollow home world he’d only heard about in rumors and theories. He looked at the creature in vivid detail, noting that this was a stark difference between this one and the other creatures of this level he had encountered over the years. Part spider, part humanoid. To be so different yet strikingly similar to the very creatures they ate. “I know all about your hollow power rankings. To be honest, I thought it was something that was just brought up in rumors. Never did I imagine that you lot used it amongst yourselves. Fascinating but I’m more interested in the place you spoke of. Hueco Mundo, was it? I assume that’s where the rest of your kind live. What a day this is. Not only do I find a bilingual intelligent hollow that I get to dissect later, but I also get to know about your home dimension. I might just integrate you into my being as well but before that, I’ll need to know more. I can’t wait for you to tell me every detail.” He smiles as he quickly disappears, reappearing a short distance away with his hood now off. He cracks his knuckles and motions for the hollow to come forward. “I’m new to these… powers I’ve recently acquired. Go easy on me would you?”
WC: 313

Kuroto walked the streets with a self-proclaimed new lease on life. With his recent experiments a success, he had finally considered himself a being beyond that of human potential. He was eager to test out his newfound abilities. Since the public still thought him to be dead, or very severely injured, he wore a bit of a disguise. Something very simple, just a hoodie with the hood pulled down. He didn’t plan on wearing it for long anyway. The sensors at Genm Corporation had been tripped very recently by abnormally strong hollow activity. Kuroto sought this is the best opportunity to see how far his work had progressed. As he neared the destination, he could hear the sounds of a conversation. One who seemed to be quite calm, while the other seemed injured or even near death. Turning the corner, he spots them. A hollow and what appeared to be a Shinigami. The Shinigami seemed to be on death row while the hollow didn’t seem to be harmed in the slightest. He thought to interrupt their conversation but to the surprise of no one, the hollow did it for him by crushing the shinigami’s head. “So, looks like I’ll have two subjects for research today,” Kuroto says while revealing his presence. He walks close to the hollow and the newly deceased individual, getting within an arm’s length from them. “A God of death which seems to be normal occurrences nowadays and then there’s you. I was under the impression that you all came in the mindless beast variety. Quite special to see that you do retain some intelligence. I can’t wait to dive around your insides and see what makes you tick.”
WC: 282

One month had passed since the now public event known as “D-Day” occurred. Genm Corporation and the media managed to sweep most of it under the rug. A fluke accident that would never happen again, though everyone knew in the back of their minds that the possibility of it happening again was very real. The presence of Genm Corp. officials increased dramatically over the next few weeks. Streets were littered with them. The increased presence did ease some minds but not all. Kuroto had completely disappeared from the public eye, so much so that people thought he might have been a causality in the onslaught. He had managed to successfully convince his team to not take him to a public medical facility, instead hiring a private doctor to care for him from home. The list of afflictions was long. Broken ribs, cracked sternum, massive blood loss, the works. It was a miracle he was even alive, much less able to stand and walk, albeit slowly. Within two weeks, he was patched up and the doctor was paid handsomely for his silence. No one had any credible information regarding him. Those who were allegedly close to him were mum on the situation. Even Asuna, in the media’s perspective, had no idea what was going on with him. In reality, she knew exactly where he was and what was happening to him. Since the event, Kuroto had been hard at work on his “masterpiece”. He barely came out of his laboratory aside to use the restroom and the occasional bite to eat. The doors had been locked. Anyone who had attempted to speak to him was met with either a cold glare and stiff silence or a sneer and a slammed door in their face. He sat at his computer for eyes, the room dimly illuminated by the computer screen. The view reflected faintly upon the glasses he wore. He rapidly tapped upon the keyboard, taking infrequent sips of something in the mug next to him. He hadn’t the faintest idea what time of day it was or even what day in particular it was. It didn’t matter. The only thing that was important was finishing his creation. The sample he acquired from the God of Death was the final component he needed. His plan was a crazy one at that, one that probably would not go over well. He planned on synthesizing the Shinigami sample with samples from the various Hollow samples he had collected over the years. He only took the strongest from those to ensure its potency. From there, he merely had to inject it into his bloodstream. Each time he attempted the process on one of his dutiful test subjects without the Shinigami aspect, they would turn into a mindless beast. While this did grant power, the mindless aspect of it was unappealing. He needed to retain his intelligence while gaining power beyond the modern concepts of peak human capabilities. This, however, wasn’t a guaranteed result. It could also kill him. His body might not be able to handle the combined essences of both supernatural entities and destroy him from the inside out. He knew these risks but didn’t mind it in the slightest. If he died then he didn’t deserve to gain the power in the first place. He furiously typed at the keyboard, his eyes darting from monitor to monitor. Machines in the background hummed slightly as one of them slowly opens. Steam fills the room as a small tube of a gray liquid emerges.
“It’s done,” Kuroto says euphorically as he quickly rushes from his desk to the tube. He takes the tube in his hands and stares at it, almost longingly. A grin appears on his face from ear to ear. “Have you finished it sir?” a voice from behind rings out. Kuroto turns around to see Asuna walking in, a tray of food and a drink in her hands. “How did you manage to get in?” Kuroto replies as he places the tube back onto the machine. “I managed to snag a key from here when you last went on a bathroom break. I figured you may need something to eat and drink since it had been a long time before you decided to get something. I’m not going to waste my breath trying to tell you to get some rest, I know it will fall on deaf ears.” Kuroto chuckles at the sentiment as he sits down at his desk, grabbing the tray of food and beginning to eat. Since he had been so hard at work, he hadn’t realized the gnawing pangs of hunger in the pit of his stomach. Food was needed. “Are you planning on coming out now that you are done? The media has been constantly questioning about you and your wellbeing since the incident. Most have thought you’ve died.” “Is that such a bad thing?” Kuroto replies. “Actually, it works out better this way. From here on, you’ll be the face of Genm Corporation. Don’t worry, I’ll still handle things occasionally from behind the scenes but from here on, it’s all on you. Consider it a promotion. I’m tired of dealing with these trilobites.” He manages to say between bites. Asuna is stunned by the revelation of her new position, her mouth opened in disbelief. Kuroto notices this and chuckles as he turns his head to the tube behind them. “I will become a being that transcends Humans. Transcends the Hollows. Transcends even the Gods of Death. A being that will be absolute perfection. I will be a God and you’ll be the first to witness it.” Kuroto stands up and moves towards the tube, slowly extracting the liquid from within with in a syringe. “Are you trying to inject that? You’ve seen the tests. You’ll kill yourself or turn into one of those beasts.” Kuroto scoffs at the notion before quickly injecting the fluid into his arm. The syringe falls to the ground, scattering on impact as Kuroto drops to his knees in pain. His body convulses as he yells out in a pain filled rage. Asuna quickly runs out of the laboratory in order to get some help as the businessman sweeps his arm across the table, knocking all of the items on it off. His vision slowly becomes blurred, his body feeling stiff. As darkness consumes him, the final thing he sees is the scattered pieces of the syringe beside him. His body felt cold and empty, no feeling in any part of it. Attempting to look around at his surroundings, he is surprised to see nothing but darkness. To be honest, he didn't even know if he had a body at this point. It was like he was just floating in nothingness, away from everything. Suddenly, a burning sensation began to take him over. The searing heat growing hotter and hotter with each passing second. At first it was spread throughout his entire body but quickly centered its rage at the base of his spine. He tried to scream but nothing came out, just added silence to the abyss of nothingness he found himself in. The burning sensation soon subsided as a shadowy, gaunt figure silently makes it presence known. It eases closer and closer as a body materializes in front of it. With an elegant disposition, it creeps to the side of the body. Its shiny teeth glint out into the darkness as it leans down and bit clean into the body. After a few moments, the shadowy figure arises and glares straight ahead at Kuroto. Chunks of blood drip down from its maw as it begins to creep forward. The closer it gets, more of its face begins to come into view. Its facial features become more apparent, more demonic in nature. Hollow like even. A large hole placed in the center of the abdomen oozed out a black liquid. Once the face comes into view, Kuroto recognizes it as that of his own. As his hollowed counterpart lunges towards him, Kuroto finally lets out a sickening scream.
A few days later…
Kuroto gasps as he awakens, his body drenched in sweat. His heartbeat was racing, his body was trembling. He looks at his surroundings, finding himself in bed in the makeshift medical wing of Genm Corporation. His arms and the rest of his body are covered in dark lines. He begins to get out of bed, finding himself extremely weak. “Thank goodness you are awake,” Asuna says as Kuroto spots her coming into the room. “You had us all worried. You’ve been out for a few days now. When you injected that serum… we thought you were going to transform into one of those beasts. The team was ready too… put you down if needed.” Kuroto chuckles as he finally makes his way out of bed, placing on a coat to cover himself. “How are my vitals?” he asks inquisitively as he looks over a few charts that were by his bedside. “I spoke to the doctor not long ago. Your vitals are off the scales. Higher than anything he’s ever seen before. It’s unnatural.” Kuroto chuckles to himself as he slowly departs the room, heading to the testing laboratory. Asuna quickly tries to follow him but she is met with a slammed door in her face before she is able to enter. Moving quickly, as he knows she’ll eventually find her way inside, Kuroto finds the device from before and places it on his waist. Picking up the small disk beside it, he quickly inserts it as Asuna barges her way inside. Black energy crackles around Kuroto as a bright light envelops him, a mysterious voice soon rings out. “Genm”
WC: 1617
First Release Achieved.

As his men hoisted him up, Kuroto’s eyes sat fixated on the area the shadow disappeared towards. Millions of thoughts ran through his mind, none of them making even the slightest of sense. What he saw, whatever it was, was real. Real and way beyond anything that humans could comprehend. “Perhaps it was them?” he whispered faintly. The Gods of death he had only heard about in rumors. Information about the supernatural, or rather factual information, was scarce. There were many of tall tales that were spread out across media and passed down from generation to generation. In truth, many of the things Kuroto knew about were from these very sources, backed up by research and exploration. His knowledge, and to that extent, his equipment weren’t just things he was given freely. He put countless hours investigating, studying. Doing anything and everything he could to amass even the smallest bit of information. It was his creed. Knowledge is power. A hollow’s evolutionary line, reiatsu and its different properties, all of it were things he and his team worked towards. Many lives were sacrificed for the research. Though with all of the knowledge on the supernatural he obtained, all of the things he witnessed; the one subject that eluded him were the Shinigami. He had no idea how they looked, how they operated. Many of tales have been spread about them. Robbed skeletal figures with scythes who free the dead from limbo and guide them into the next world. Equipped with powers beyond belief, locked in an eternal battle with the hollows who threaten their nature. So many truths wrapped in lies. Now there was the possibility that after all these years, one might have been so close to him he could have touched it, studied it. A shrill voice shook him from his thoughts, knocking the businessman back into the harsh reality.
“Mr. Dan! Thank goodness you are alright.” An approaching Asuna yells as she flings herself out of the backside of the awaiting vehicle. She, without hesitation, wraps her arms around Kuroto in an embrace. Not one of love or lust but of pure joy in seeing him alive, albeit injured. Kuroto remained motionless for a moment, snapping back into his usual demeanor shortly after. “I’m fine. You can let go now.” He says in somewhat of an annoyed tone. The woman quickly removes her arms from around her boss and blushes, taking a few steps back and bowing. “I’m sorry sir. I don’t know what came over me. I was just glad to see that you were alive and well.” “It’s fine. Give me a status report.” Kuroto says as he runs his hand through his hair. His hands were wet with blood though he did not know if it came from himself or from any of the corpses that were around him. “Teams Alpha, Omega, & Sigma are out combing the area for any survivors and eliminating the hollow threat. They’ve mostly gotten things under control. We’ve yet to figure out how many casualties there are though the number is expected to be high. Given that you were in the epicenter of it all, we assumed the worst. It’s honestly a goddamned miracle that you are even alive. Even more, so that you are in one piece. Regardless, we need to get away from here and get you to a medical facility to get checked out.” Kuroto went to object but found himself quickly ushered into the backseat of the awaiting vehicle. Apparently, the time for talk was out of the question. That was fine. In all honesty, Kuroto probably would not have been able to pose a convincing argument. His body felt like it had been in a 12-round fight. Everything was sore and numb. Every time he blinked, it felt as if a raging fire was burning a hole behind his eyelids. There was a sharp, dull pain every time he drew a breath; probably a sign of a cracked rib. Or a few. The door slammed shut and off the vehicle went, flanked by another. As Asuna began to discuss a few more of the on goings since the attack, Kuroto’s mind began to drift. He stared out of the tinted windows at the buildings that laid waste around them. It looked like a damn warzone. Cars flipped over with the greatest of ease. Huge chunks of debris scattered about. Fires dancing atop what remained of buildings to really give off the vibe of what it all represented. Hell on earth.
Lazily, Kuroto began to drift, his eyes starting to look more and more upward towards the sky. It was then that he saw it. A mere flicker that did a sort of freefall out of the sky, landing on ruined building not far off. Instantly, he became alert. Could it have been his savior from before? Perhaps his mind was just playing tricks on him? Regardless, he had to find out, even if it turned out to be a wild goose chase. “Stop the car!” he demanded, frantically ripping at his now unlatched seat belt. “We can’t stop now sir. We need to get you to a medical facility quick. Your injuries aren’t life threatened now but if left unchecked, they could become a serious issue. We don’t have the time.” “Stop the goddamned car now!” Kuroto roared in anger, showing a surprisingly viciousness that stunned even Asuna. She’d never seen him this angry, this primal. Acting as near as insane as the “hairless apes” he typically commented on how humanity behaved. There was a still moment of silence as the car slowly came to a halt, Kuroto frantically searching for the jacket he left inside previously. Upon finding and clutching it tightly, he quickly bolted out the door, stumbling as he exited. All looked on as he moved gingerly towards where the ruined building’s remains. His mind was racing, his heart nearly beating out of his chest. An excitement he hadn’t felt in some time. This could just be a suicide run, a fool’s errand. He could find nothing once he arrived, or worse, he could find yet another ravenous hollow ready to make him its evening meal. Regardless, he didn’t care, could not care until he found it. He reaches the base of the building and begins to shuffle through the debris to move forward. His eyes meticulously scan each piece he removes, not wanting to miss a thing.
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees it. Some debris slowly moving up and down. Something was underneath. As he moves forward, the debris is lifted off from underneath. A dark robed man is revealed laying underneath, heavily injured. Kuroto’s eyes are wide with glee, a trance-like look on his face. “So…. beautiful.” he manages to etch out, slowly moving towards the man. The man’s head quickly darts over to Kuroto, his hand tightening on a sword sheathed to his side. Once he realizes that it’s a human approaching him, his grip eases slightly. “Are you talking to me? How can you even see me?” the man coughs out. His wounds are unfortunately fatal. He won’t last much longer. Kuroto still approaches, still stunned speechless by the sight before him. He finally reaches the man, getting so close he could reach out and touch him. “Are you… Are you one of the Gods of Death?” he whispers. The man looks at him bewildered by such a question. How did the man even know about their existence? “Look, it doesn’t matter. I’m not going to last much longer. My team is out here still eliminating these hollows, it won’t take much longer before they’ve wiped them out but it’s still dangerous out. The hollow that got me is probably still lurking around, ready to finish me off. The team might not make it to me in time to save me. You need to save yourself and flee.” The man’s words stir Kuroto from his euphoric trance, making him remember his end goal once more. “So, you are one of them. All this time, I’ve been searching for the missing piece and it’s been in front of my eyes yet out of my reach the entire time." A small smile forms across Kuroto’s face as he reaches into the jacket he retrieved from the car and pulls out a small syringe. Acting quickly, he stabs the syringe into the man’s arm as a glossed look appears over his eyes as it presses in. “This is a special agent I concocted for my research. It’s designed to work on hollows but I believe that it will be sufficient for you as well. A paralyzing agent injected into your system while I retrieve what I need from you. If the side effects are the exact same for you as they are with the hollows, then it will leave you paralyzed for some time. So, if the hollow is lurking about, I’m sure it’ll go after an easy meal instead of a scrambling one such as myself.” He chuckles slightly as he pulls back on the syringe top, a white fluid slowly being extracted from the man. “Breathtaking… isn’t it?” Kuroto replies as he removes the syringe, slowly stumbling to his feet. “What are you? What the hell is wrong with you?” the man manages to say. The paralyzing agent had done the intended job, further crippling the fatally wounded man. He tries to move, as he had since he was injected, but found he could not. He was at the mercy of whatever came near him. Finally making it back to his feet and using a piece of debris for leverage, Kuroto turns to walk back to the vehicle. “What am I? That’s an easy question. I’m going to be the God of this world. Even you, the Gods of death, will kneel before me. In the end, I thank you. It appears you have saved me after all.” He psychotically chuckles to himself as he begins to leave; from behind, a pair of beaming eyes move slowly towards the now fully paralyzed man.
WC: 1,690

The town had a cold malevolent air to it, the wind howling past you in every which way, as if trying to express its own confusion the recent turn of events. Kuroto, his body among the mass piles of debris, was lost in a trance. One minute, multi-colored death beams reign down on all present in a never-ending bombardment. In the next, nothing. It had gone as quickly as it came. No movement, no lights, no wind, no people. It's like everything just vanished, or was never there to begin with. A fog was rolling in, throwing those who survived all into despair; they couldn't fight if they couldn't see. Kuroto’s men hadn’t made it yet. They were defenseless. The fog was dense, so thick you'd need a knife to cut through it. Some hid underneath debris, others took to whatever buildings they could for shelter. Those that could not see the entities knew that they were not alone. Those that could, even if only barely, saw their deaths coming towards them. Shadowy figures were steadily moving closer; their mangled, horrific forms visible enough to send fear down the spines of even the most hardened men. And then suddenly, it began again. A sickening roar, loud enough that even the those who couldn’t sense or see spiritual entities could hear. They were being mobbed. Mutli-colored death beams pelting them from all sides, slaughtering them like the sheep Kuroto took them for whilst they weren’t expecting it. He should have known. This was the only logical conclusion with all the data he had at his fingertips. He should have prepared for this. He could have prepared for this. But he didn't, and now they were all paying dearly for it. Hundreds were dead before one could even tell what was happening.
The air was hazy, a red mist thrown up from the sheer of blood that was spilled. Citizens were being slaughtered. There were too many of them. Too little of people could do anything to prevent it. It was a massacre. Kuroto looked around, seeing the charred remains of the councilman at his feet. The putrid smell of burned flesh mixed with the blood. The man’s severed head sat perfectly placed on Kuroto’s lap. Eyes rolled into the back of his head. His face was expressionless. In his last moments, he had no idea what awaited him. The smell of blood hit Kuroto then. The adrenaline fading fast. He quickly pushed the severed head off of his body and turned to the side to retch. His stomach could no longer handle it. It was overpowering, so strong he could taste it. Dry heave after dry heave came, the businessman clutching tightly at his sides. Soon, he finished, staring hazily at the pile of liquid in front of him. He could suddenly hear the screams of the dying men, the sound of the guns going off. His team had arrived. He could hear orders from the Captain. “Fan out and rescue any survivors. Switch to the X-tinction rounds immediately.” The survivors would be thankful that they arrived but with such short notice, it seems that they were being overpowered. Far more screams of men and women dying echoed the otherwise deathly quiet area than the death howl of the creatures. His senses became hypersensitive. He could smell the blood, sweat, and fear hanging heavily in the air. He felt his heart beating as if it wanted to burst out of his chest. A lump formed at the base of his throat, threatening to make him puke once again. His head felt as if it was spinning. He knew that he had to get up, get moving. His men could eventually hold the line long enough for the beasts to retreat from wherever they came, that wasn’t the issue. The main issue was him getting to safety. Everything else was secondary to that. He managed to make it to his feet before quickly falling back down on his hands and knees. His body felt heavy, his vision blurred. He broke out into a cold sweat as his breathing increased. Was this fear? A fear of death perhaps. This had been the first time he’d ever experienced something of this nature. Something so foreign yet primal to him.
Throughout the sounds of gunfire rumbling in the background and booming footsteps of the creatures that had descended from the rip in the sky, he could faintly hear it. Those soft chewing sounds. The sickening crunch of a bone. The sip of a liquid, probably blood, going doing the throat. All became clear. One of them was near and hungry. Ravenous even. He quickly drew flashbacks to the warehouse all those months ago. Watching his men from the safety of his van as they turned to see their comrade devoured by the beast. In that moment, he missed the sanctuary that the van provided. The feeling of safety. Suddenly, the chewing stopped. A low guttural grow took its place. He wondered if he had been spotted, though his answer would soon. Low footsteps began to draw closer, inching closer and closer towards him. With his remaining strength, Kuroto lay flat on the ground, placing his body up against some of the charred corpses around him. Maybe it would go for one of the other bodies, just long enough to give him a moment to escape, if he could find the strength to do so that is. The footsteps drew closer and closer, until he could feel breathing down his neck. A snout moving along his body. He’d been found. The snout kept nudging at his body, increasing its force with each nudge. Kuroto’s body being pushed deeper and deeper against the corpses around him. He could feel warm liquid forming on his back. He didn’t know if it was his blood or the blood of someone else. Something else. The nudging stopped, the beast reared its head back and howled loudly. It was ready for its feast to begin anew. “So, this is how I die? On the ground with my face in the mud among the peons I despise so much?” Kuroto thought. “Ironic that this is the path destiny has chosen for me. I refuse it. I refuse it. I will not sit idly by and let this be my end. I will ascend to the heavens on my own terms. I will not be struck down by the likes of this dull creature!”
Using the lasts of his strength, Kuroto manages to flip himself over, ready to stare into the face of the beast. To his surprise, the beast is no longer there; instead laying a good distance away with a wound on its side. It’s breathing labored, dying. Kuroto sat mystified at the sight. Was it one of his men that managed to wound the beast so greatly? He hadn’t heard a single gunshot from close range so it couldn’t have been them. Just what was it then? As he tries to ponder his thoughts, he faintly hears a voice from behind him. He manages to only capture a glimpse of a shadow darting overhead towards the beast, before both are gone. “The hell was that?” Kuroto mutters. “Sir! Are you alright?!” a voice calls out to him. Kuroto turns his head to see a team of his men shuffling quickly towards him, guns trained at the surrounding area. “We’ve found Mr. Dan. He seems wounded but alive. Bring the van to this location for transport. It’s alright sir, we are going to get you out of here.” Kuroto didn’t move, could not move. He was still mystified by what he just saw or at least what he thought he saw. It wasn’t his imagination. There was something, someone there protecting him from that beast. It moved so fast, so gracefully that he only saw but a shadow. He had to find out what it was.
WC: 1,325

One hour had passed and Kuroto’s car was pulling up to the press junket. News vans lined the street, swarms of reporters, paparazzi, and citizens stood gathered at the base of the podium. “There’s more of these cretins than I originally thought,” Kuroto muttered to himself. He was originally under the impression that there would only be a few people. Mostly councilmen and the likes. Mind you, a few reporters for the PR but nothing like this. It was as if most of the damned city had gathered like it was a parade. “Sorry, sir. We’ll be back to pick you up in two hours. Hopefully, things will go by quickly.” “I highly doubt it..” Kuroto mumbled as he got out of the car. A hand met him as soon as he exited, firmly shaking his with uproarious laughter. “Mr. Dan! Glad you could make it. I trust you are well today?” Instantly, Kuroto’s façade activated. The cold, uncaring demeanor was replaced by one of joy and compassion. Gone was the man who cared for very little. In his place came a man of the people. The embodiment of Kuroto’s hatred. “I’m doing well today Councilman. Had a bit of a late night coming up with new ideas of Genm Corps future projects but still doing fine. No sleep for the weary.” He said with a fake chuckle. The councilman laughed and patted Kuroto on the back, a wide grin spread across his face. “That’s why the public loves you, sir. Dedicated to the safety and protection of all the Karakura Town citizens and beyond.” The two reach the stage where the councilman shows Kuroto the mass amount of people gathered in their entirety. The number was overwhelming. He could only roll his eyes in disdain. "Just a few minutes of this mindless drivel and I’ll be away from all this.” He thought to himself. The councilman turned to walk on stage as the crowd began to shush in anticipation. “Let me introduce you then you’ll have the stage to yourself.” He commented before walking on the stage. The roar of the crowd could be heard as he appeared before them, causing Kuroto to once again roll his eyes. “Ignorant sheep”, he mumbled as he began to get some coffee over at the nearby coffee station.
As he poured, he could hear the councilman hyping himself up over the upcoming election; intentionally name-dropping Genm Corporation as a platform to boost his own name. He’d have to pay for that down the line. For now, he’d let the man have his moment in the sun if only to shut him up. “And it is my esteemed privilege to introduce the CEO and founder of Genm Corporation, Kuroto Dan!” The crowd roars in approval as Kuroto is just beginning to place the coffee cup to his lips. “Shit.” He mutters as he places the coffee back down. With a heavy sigh and a quick adjustment of his suit jacket, he begins to move towards the curtain. As soon as he steps out, his façade once again appears. A smiling man waving to his adoring public. He shakes the councilman’s hand when he reaches him, again flashing a big smile to the public. To them, he was their modern-day Batman. A man using his wealth and technology to ensure their safety and survival. Mix in a little truth here and a little truth there and they believe anything. He seldom wondered what would occur if they knew the real truth. “Citizens of Karakura Town, I humbly thank you for being here today though I did not expect so many of you to show. This just shows the amount of love you all have for your great city and the amount of support you have for Genm Corporation. Everywhere you look, you see signs. Billboards. T.V Advertisements. All to promote Genm Corporation. None of this would have been possible without your help. We’ve begun the steps to expand Genm outside of Japan and go global. Our protection will expand wherever a voice calls out for help against these supernatural entities. These beastly abominations will soon no longer darken our door!” The crowd roars in approval as Kuroto flashes yet another fake smile to the public.
He hated this. He wished for it to be over. Unfortunately, he was about to get his wish. His cellphone began to ring, startling him. Everyone knew that he was busy with this drivel so it was unusual that he’d be receiving a call from his personal cell. “Seems that Mr. Dan has a phone call. Is that a lady friend asking where you’ve gone?” the councilman jokes. Kuroto jokingly dismisses the notion and silences the phone, placing it back down on the podium. “In a few weeks, Genm Corporation will be introducing a new line of defense against these creatures. Something that can and will be mobilized anywhere in the world. I’ve begun to speak with the world’s leaders about this and we’ve come to an understanding. Soon the world will be a safer place for all!” As the crowd eats up every word he says, he glances down at the podium and sees his phone light up. It was a text message from Asuna. What could be so important that she would be texting him right now. He puts his thumb on the sensor to quickly open and read the accompanying text message. “Just received a call from the detection center. Hollow readings are off the charts in the area. We are rushing to come and pick you up. GET OUT NOW!” A visibly panicked expression spread across Kuroto’s face as he finished reading the text. Hollows were a common thing in Karakura Town obviously but in the past few days, it had been peaceful. This particular location had been dead with activity, which was the sole reason it was picked as the press spot. So why now of all times? Unless… somebody or some group had large amounts of spiritual pressure. With that much gathered, there would be no question that hollows would be attracted to it. “Shit”, he thought as he quickly looked around. He didn’t know how much time he had to escape before the proverbial shit hit the fan. Minutes? Seconds? Trying to plan his route, Kuroto quickly started to wrap up his speech before a voice in the crowd stopped him. “What’s that?” A shrill voice echoed from the masses. All eyes darted to where a lone finger pointed in the sky. Unbeknownst to many, a large crack appeared in the sky, slowly opening. A deafening howl rang through the once silent sky before a crimson stream of light shot through the hole, ripping a path through the crowd. “They’re here….” Kuroto muttered.
WC: 1,130

It was 3:57 am early Wednesday morning. Kuroto Dan had not been to sleep in well over two days. He spent countless hours focused on the computer screen that lay before him, studying and perfecting his research. He was close. So much so that he could see the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel. There was just a bit more he needed to do. One last hurdle he needed to accomplish. He took a long sip of coffee and returned his icy gaze over to the computer screen once more. His finger hovered over the enter button momentarily before he decided to watch the footage once more. Pressing enter, the video began to run. A man, one of his employees, stood in the middle of the room, ready to test out what they believed to be the next development in fighting these supernatural entities. The man had been selected in secret, a promise of a substantial bonus for his cooperation. Little did he know that he’d never receive such a bonus. “Are you ready?” a voice rang out in the video. The man nodded and gave a thumb up as he placed a piece of equipment around his waist. “Viral cores initiated. All readings are in the green. Go ahead and begin the procedure.” The man took a deep breath and placed a small disk in a slot on the equipment. A small hum began to emanate from it as crackles of energy began shooting around him. “Increase the power…” Kuroto’s voice ran from the video as a technician does exactly that. Soon the man begins to writhe in pain, screaming at the top of his lungs as he drops to his knees. Sweat begins to pour from his body, blood slowly starting to drop from every opening it could. “Sir?! We should stop.” A voice rang out. “Keep it going!" Kuroto demanded as the tech reluctantly began to pour more energy into the system. The screams from the man begin to turn feral, savage sounding. His body began to shake violently.
Getting on all fours now, the man screams one final time as a white substance oozes from his face. With each tremble his body made, it began to steadily grow larger; his clothes became shredded in the process. Fur sprouted from his body, a blackened hole forming in the center of his chest. The white substance that oozed across his face began to harden and take on a canine like appearance. The screams slowly turned into howls. The men in the lab began to panic, a feral creature forming slowly in front of their eyes. Kuruto simply stood and watched the spectacle in front of him, not wavering for a moment. The transformation was soon completed, the man was no longer a man but a ravenous beast with only the desire to feed on its mind. It lunged at the nearest man close to it, swiping a large portion of its body away with a single stroke of its claws. Another man bolted for the exit but was met with a similar fate. It picked them off one by one with its teeth and claws until only it and Kuruto were left. A ravenous growl was heard as it slowly lurched towards the business man with ill intent. Kuroto still only stood with his hands firmly jammed in his pockets, now seemingly annoyed at what he watched. With impressive speed, the beast lungs for Kuroto, lifting him up and pinning him against the wall. It moved its head mere inches away from Kuroto’s as it growled viciously; thick heaps of saliva steadily dripping down its maw. “Yet another failure.” Kuroto spoke at last as pulled a small device from his pockets. With a single press of a button, the piece of equipment that was still on the beast exploded, taking the lower body with it. The explosion caused the beast to drop Kuroto as it fell to the ground, dead.
The video feed soon cut out, Kuroto with an even more annoyed look on his face. “Yesterday’s test was a failure, just like the rest of them. Every time, they turn into one of these mindless beasts. Not truly hollow but not truly human either. I need to come up with a better solution than this. I’m beginning to run out of subjects. I just seem to be missing one critical component.” He furrows his brow and begins to once again look over his notes, meticulously scanning all of the compiled information. It doesn’t take long before he is once again lost in his thoughts, so much so that he doesn’t hear the door behind him creek open. A thump is heard as a hand is slammed on the desk. “What is it Ms. Asuna?” Kuroto says to his assistant without looking up from his paperwork. “You are going to be late sir. It’s nearly time for the press junket.” “Is that today?” he muttered. The woman smiled as the man sneered in disgust. Kuroto hated talking to the press. It wasn’t so much that he could not do it but rather he did not want to do it. He hated to mingle with these low classed mongrels. Sitting and laughing and acting if he was just like one of them. He detested the thought. Unfortunately, it was necessary today in order to further the business side of his goals. “What time is it?” Kuroto said after a long pause, finally putting his paperwork down. “It is currently 8:45 am. The press junket starts at 10:00. You’d have to get ready before then. I’ve laid out your suit for you and the car is waiting.” He had been so engrossed in his work that he did not realize that nearly five hours had passed. The time was upon him, he needed to go. With a heavy sigh, the man arose from his seat and made his way to his living quarters at Genm Corp. The quarters were created for this exact purpose, days when he’d need to get ready for something quickly and would not have the luxury to go home. “I’ll prepare you something quick to eat while you shower. I’ll be waiting in the car.” Kuroto nodded as he moved to the bathroom to prepare for the meeting, the only thing firmly on his mind was that missing component.
WC: 1,065

Would the Word Counts be due later tonight or will it be next week since we just started like 3 days ago? I ask because I'm not going to be in a place with internet access until much later. For the majority of the day, I'll be on my phone like right now. If it is tonight, I'll have to make arrangements but just wanted to be sure regardless.